SB3291 - 104th General Assembly
WILL DEPOSITORY-CIRCUIT CLERK
Last Action
Senate Sponsors
Sen. Bill Cunningham - Michael E. Hastings - Mattie Hunter - Laura Fine, Mike Porfirio, Christopher Belt, Javier L. Cervantes, Robert F. Martwick, Adriane Johnson, Mark L. Walker, Graciela Guzmán, Willie Preston, Sara Feigenholtz, Julie A. Morrison, Andrew S. Chesney, Mike Simmons, Cristina Castro and Mary Edly-AllenHouse Sponsors
(Rep. Lilian Jiménez - Jennifer Sanalitro, Rick Ryan, Barbara Hernandez, Justin Slaughter, Michael Crawford, Edgar González, Jr., Aarón M. Ortíz, Bob Morgan, Yolonda Morris, La Shawn K. Ford, Nicolle Grasse, Natalie A. Manley, Michelle Mussman, Jaime M. Andrade, Jr., Mary Gill, Dagmara Avelar, Gregg Johnson, Marcus C. Evans, Jr., Stephanie A. Kifowit, Sonya M. Harper, Kelly M. Cassidy, Emanuel "Chris" Welch, Abdelnasser Rashid, Debbie Meyers-Martin, Justin Cochran, Laura Faver Dias, Matt Hanson and Camille Y. Lilly)Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
705 ILCS 105/16.2 new
Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Clerks of Court Act. Authorizes a circuit court clerk of any county to develop and maintain a will depository. Provides a procedure for the clerk to accept for safekeeping a testamentary instrument executed in compliance with the Probate Act of 1975, including a will, codicil, trust, or trust and one or more trust amendments. Allows a depositor to deposit a will with the clerk if the depositor certifies in writing that the depositor is unable to locate the testator after a diligent search. Creates a procedure for the clerk to follow in accepting, keeping, and returning these documents. Allows the clerk to charge a fee of $25 for each will deposited, and the clerk may not collect a separate fee for additional documents concurrently deposited in relation to a single testator or for a single joint will prepared for a husband and wife.
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1
Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts provisions of the bill with these changes. Authorizes a circuit court clerk of any county to develop and maintain a will depository. Provides a procedure for the clerk to accept for safekeeping a will that is defined as a document intended to be a testamentary instrument. Defines "depositor" as the person who is delivering the will for deposit and includes the testator, who is a resident in the county where the will is being deposited or a person authorized by court order. Creates a procedure for the clerk to follow in accepting, keeping, and returning these documents. Allows the clerk to charge a fee of up to $25 for each will deposited, and the clerk may not collect a separate fee for additional documents concurrently deposited in relation to a single testator or for a single joint will prepared for a husband and wife. During the lifetime of the testator, the clerk may release the deposited will only to the testator in person upon proof of identity or pursuant to an order. Makes other changes.
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2/03/2026 | Senate | Filed with Secretary by Sen. Bill Cunningham |
| 2/03/2026 | Senate | First Reading |
| 2/03/2026 | Senate | Referred to Assignments |
| 2/05/2026 | Senate | Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Michael E. Hastings |
| 2/17/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mike Porfirio |
| 2/17/2026 | Senate | Assigned to Judiciary |
| 2/17/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Christopher Belt |
| 2/17/2026 | Senate | Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Mattie Hunter |
| 2/17/2026 | Senate | Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura Fine |
| 2/17/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Javier L. Cervantes |
| 2/18/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Robert F. Martwick |
| 2/18/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Adriane Johnson |
| 2/19/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mark L. Walker |
| 2/19/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Graciela Guzmán |
| 2/26/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Willie Preston |
| 3/05/2026 | Senate | Do Pass Judiciary; 009-000-000 |
| 3/05/2026 | Senate | Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 10, 2026 |
| 3/11/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Sara Feigenholtz |
| 3/24/2026 | Senate | Second Reading |
| 3/24/2026 | Senate | Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 25, 2026 |
| 3/24/2026 | Senate | Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Bill Cunningham |
| 3/24/2026 | Senate | Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments |
| 3/25/2026 | Senate | Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Judiciary |
| 3/25/2026 | Senate | Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommend Do Adopt Judiciary; 008-000-000 |
| 3/26/2026 | Senate | Recalled to Second Reading |
| 3/26/2026 | Senate | Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted; Cunningham |
| 3/26/2026 | Senate | Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading |
| 4/14/2026 | Senate | Third Reading - Passed; 055-000-000 |
| 4/14/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Julie A. Morrison |
| 4/14/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Andrew S. Chesney |
| 4/14/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mike Simmons |
| 4/14/2026 | House | Arrived in House |
| 4/14/2026 | House | Chief House Sponsor Rep. Lilian Jiménez |
| 4/14/2026 | House | First Reading |
| 4/14/2026 | House | Referred to Rules Committee |
| 4/15/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Cristina Castro |
| 4/27/2026 | House | Assigned to Judiciary - Civil Committee |
| 4/29/2026 | Senate | Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mary Edly-Allen |
| 5/01/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Rick Ryan |
| 5/04/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Barbara Hernandez |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Do Pass / Short Debate Judiciary - Civil Committee; 018-000-000 |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Justin Slaughter |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael Crawford |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Edgar González, Jr. |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Aarón M. Ortíz |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Bob Morgan |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Yolonda Morris |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. La Shawn K. Ford |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicolle Grasse |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Natalie A. Manley |
| 5/06/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Michelle Mussman |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Mary Gill |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Dagmara Avelar |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Gregg Johnson |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Sonya M. Harper |
| 5/15/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy |
| 5/15/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch |
| 5/18/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid |
| 5/18/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin |
| 5/19/2026 | House | Second Reading - Short Debate |
| 5/19/2026 | House | Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate |
| 5/21/2026 | House | Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate |
| 5/21/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Justin Cochran |
| 5/21/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Laura Faver Dias |
| 5/22/2026 | House | Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 099-000-000 |
| 5/22/2026 | Senate | Passed Both Houses |
| 5/22/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Matt Hanson |
| 5/22/2026 | House | Alternate Co-Sponsor Removed Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro |
| 5/22/2026 | House | Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro |
| 5/22/2026 | House | Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Camille Y. Lilly |
